High Technology Industry Williamtown

"Submission Regarding" High Technology Industry Williamtown"
Newcastle Airport has lodged a Development Application (DA) permitting the building of what is to all intents and purposes a weapons factory innocently described as a “high technology industry” or “a warehouse …. for the manufacture, assembly, testing and maintenance of defence related components”.
While the identity of the “intended operator” is unclear this information can be gleaned from The Newcastle Airport 2022/23 Annual Report where “Boeing, Daronmont Technologies and Plexsys” are identified as the new tenants.
The intention to develop the airport zone as a weapons factory was disclosed by the Newcastle Herald in 2022 with the report that "Global weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin said last month that it was poised to establish a national air and missile defence centre at Williamtown to lead skills development and research in the field”. (https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7948449/williamtown-likely-home-to-missile-defence-centre/)
According to Astra Aerolab what they innocuously term an 'ecosystem’ will boost the capacity of businesses to plug into globally significant defence networks.
The Urban Developer refers to plans for a national integrated air and missile defence ‘ecosystem’ by Lockheed Martin Australia. Significantly Boeing, Raytheon and BAE Systems also operate in the immediate vicinity of the Williamstown airport.
Definitive evidence can be found in the Williamtown Aerospace precinct 52 proposal, see https://www.williamtownaerospace.com.au/precinct-52/ and in the planning document https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=PDA-66623706%2120240205T072800.765%20GMT
This DA provides clear intention by supporters of this proposal to transform the Hunter into a strategic weapons development and manufacturing centre.
This is a serious to peace, security and life and occurs when communities are calling for de-escalation of global conflict.
Such proposals need to clearly indicate their real intentions and also disclosure the potential impact on human rights aid possible impacts of such weapons system on civilians and children, the major casualties of military weaponry.
Furthermore, the EIS should fully reveal the overall impact on the environment when climate modelling reveals the military accounts for at least 6% of plant endangering emissions.
This proposed development expands militarism and represents a threat to one of Newcastle’s strong traditional support for the peaceful non military resolution of conflict.
Newcastle Council should not rely on potential income this development and should abide by its own investment policy to not derive revenue from “the production or supply of armaments”.
Consultation should be broad and involve full disclosure to community and environment groups, not just . defence-related groups.
Furthermore, I note that the land is contaminated by the still unresolved issue of PFAS contamination from defence activity. The proposed site’s location in a bushfire and flood zone alsorequires close study of the serious ecological and health impacts on biodiversity and for example, koala habitat and birdlife.
The Hunter Region, like much of Australia, is impacted by a critical shortage of workforce capacity and capability, particularly in the field of STEM. This development potentially re-directs our workforce from a low developing a carbon economy and building new industries such as offshore wind and solar.
To survive catastrophic climate change the region needs to also prioritise low carbon industries and innovations in housing, medicine and health infrastructure and protect biodiversity. We need renewable energy rather than defence indusries.
Australia and the region needs to hold true to its ethical and legal obligations of peace and disarmament and not mislead the public about the “non-lethal parts of weapons”; or the supposed innocent use of weapons components and raw materials. Suggesting that supply chain complexity absolves responsibiloity for the final destination and deadly impact of weapons in disingenuous.
I recommend this DA be rejected.
Dr Steve O’Brien

Links
https://www.newcastleairport.com.au/astra-aerolab/
https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/hi-tech-hub-to-elevate-newcastle-aerospace-scene

Submission of an Objection to approval of DA for ‘The ‘High Technology Industry Williamtown’


The NSW government has earmarked Williamtown and Newcastle as key sites for their unconscionable drive to militarise Australia. They are investing heavily to develop these sites as a centralised hub for the manufacture of defence systems. Already Williamtown houses the largest companies directly supplying weapons and are therefore complicit in war crimes.

Already the largest of these companies, Lockheed Martin, has firmly embedded itself in our region. Lockheed Martin directly supplies F-35 jets and weapons to Israel. These armaments have been used to inflict massive casualties and deaths of civilians in Gaza.
Lockheed Martin is directly and knowingly profiting from war crimes and human rights abuses and are therefore complicit in these crimes.They have infiltrated our universities and our schools to influence research priorities and to manipulate resources, including our children, to channel them to the study,development and production of weaponry.
Lockheed Martin seeks to normalise weapons development and to sanitise their culpability by cloaking their activities in ‘science challenges’ for primary school children (complete with cheap, free tat) and in what appears to be philanthropic funding for our universities. The company, in turn, is able to legitimise and profit from manipulating our community for its own benefit.
This leads me to the next shocking chapter of this drive by our state and federal governments to bow to pressure from powerful Western powers to increase our militarisation to benefit their global aims. Now the depth of this activity becomes ever more apparent and disturbing with the direct involvement of local government!

Local councils are expected to behave ethically and with transparency. However, we now find that Newcastle City Council and Port Stephens Council are establishing a precinct specifically for the lease of land to weapons manufacturers. This will then be used as a revenue stream for Council.
Newcastle City Council has a policy ruling out any investment with weapons manufacturers. It is not only in breach of their policy to profit from this activity, but it is unethical for them to profit from companies which trade on human right abuse and misery. It is also particularly egregious in the context of current global events.

I therefore strongly object to this development of ‘High Technology Industry Williamtown’ and appeal to the planning authority to reject and refuse this application.
I base this objection on the following points.

This development is not in the Public Interest

The development for defence-related manufacturing and software development is patently not in the public interest.
It perpetuates normalisation of aggression and undermines peaceful and just solutions to global issues. Everything our federal government is focusing on encourages the arms race between nations. It is a fallacy that arming ourselves to the extreme will improve health and security in Australia and globally. Weaponry destroys the lives of innocent civilians.We are all currently witnessing this in its most extreme and unopposed form.

Investing in this facility diverts skilled workers and resources away from the very critical transition to low carbon industries and renewable energy generation. Climate change is most urgent priority.

Ties between weapons manufacturers and our universities is unethical

Increasing cooperation between the University of Newcastle a weapons manufacturers are raising grave concerns among students,academics and the wider community. Our educational institutions should never be used as research facilities for inflicting harm to any life on earth. Highlighting the fostering of these connections with our university as some sort of positive is extremely abhorrent to all right-minded people.

This Project will be on PFAS contaminated land

There must be an independent review into PFAS contamination before this DA is finalised. The information available to date is insufficient to be able to manage these contaminants and to protect Tomago Sandbeds.

Councils are obliged to act ethically

The Local Government Act states councils MUST act ethically in the interests of their local communities. In the case of Astra Aerolab the council directly breaches its own policies in that council is to specifically identify investment in ’production or supply of armaments’ to be avoided as it is a socially harmful activity. Newcastle City Council should be doing everything to distance itself completely from weapons manufacturers.

Councils are obliged to be accountable and transparent

Newcastle City Council has placed their DA on public exhibition without full disclosure. They have not named and have only referred to their client as the ‘intended’ occupant for this proposed facility. This is deliberately deceptive and can only be assumed it is designed to avoid scrutiny and objection by the community.

Sincerely,
Carolyn Chaston

Newcastle and the hunter have a rich history in the military and while that history is cherished, I don’t believe it’s a look we as a community need if we are supporting the tools in support of the unjust murder of civilians in war ravaged areas of the world. We have all failed the world to bring peace and I don’t wish my hometown’s name be glued to the destruction of families and children around the world. I hope you can reconsider the position

I object to this development ‘High Technology Industry Williamtown', and appeal to the planning authority to refuse this application.

1. Not in the Public Interest.
The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, states that the public interest must be considered as part of the assessment (Part 4, Division 4.3, Section 4.15). This development for defence related manufacturing and software development is clearly not in the public interest. Weapons manufacturing contributes to an arms race between nations and too often takes the lives of innocent civilians.
Investing in this facility will divert skilled workers away from the critical transition to low carbon industries and renewable energy generation. Time is running out to meet our climate targets, and we are simultaneously experiencing a skills shortage in the Hunter. We cannot afford to invest in the defence industry when our collective priority must be ensuring a rapid and well planned transition

2. Councils must act ethically.
The Local Government Act states that councils must act ethically in the interests of the local community (Section 8Ah). Newcastle Council should collect revenue from sources that are in line with its own policies. With Astra Aerolab, it is directly contravening its own Investment and Borrowing Policy which includes Environmental and Social Investment Guidelines (7.1.4) that specifically identify ‘production or supply of armaments’ as investment that should be avoided as it is considered a socially harmful activity.
Collecting revenue from an undisclosed aerospace contractor is not in line with the ethical standards that the community expects from Newcastle Council and Port Stephens Council.

3. Increasing ties between universities and weapons manufacturers is unethical.
The Environmental Impact Statement highlights the benefits of the ‘High Technology Williamtown’ proposal as including ‘increasing research capabilities’ with the University of Newcastle. Increasing ties between the University and weapons manufacturers is raising serious concerns amongst students, staff and the broader community. Student movements across Australia are revealing ties between weapons manufacturers and research facilities and will continue to protest against these agreements.

4. This project is on PFAS contaminated lands within the Tomago Sandbeds Catchment Area.
The independent review into PFAS contamination must be completed before this DA can be finalised. There is insufficient information for managing PFAS contaminants and protecting the Tomago Sandbeds.

I object to this development ‘High Technology Industry Williamtown', and appeal to the planning authority to refuse this application.

1. Not in the Public Interest.

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, states that the public interest must be considered as part of the assessment (Part 4, Division 4.3, Section 4.15).

This development for defence related manufacturing and software development is clearly not in the public interest.

Weapons manufacturing contributes to an arms race between nations and too often takes the lives of innocent civilians.

Investing in this facility will divert skilled workers away from the critical transition to low carbon industries and renewable energy generation. Time is running out to meet our climate targets, and we are simultaneously experiencing a skills shortage in the Hunter. We cannot afford to invest in the defence industry when our collective priority must be ensuring a rapid and well planned transition.



2. Councils must act ethically.

The Local Government Act states that councils must act ethically in the interests of the local community (Section 8Ah)

Newcastle Council should collect revenue from sources that are in line with its own policies. With Astra Aerolab, it is directly contravening its own Investment and Borrowing Policy which includes Environmental and Social Investment Guidelines (7.1.4) that specifically identify ‘production or supply of armaments’ as investment that should be avoided as it is considered a socially harmful activity.

Collecting revenue from an undisclosed aerospace contractor is not in line with the ethical standards that the community expects from Newcastle Council and Port Stephens Council.



3. Increasing ties between universities and weapons manufacturers is unethical.

The Environmental Impact Statement highlights the benefits of the ‘High Technology Williamtown’ proposal as including ‘increasing research capabilities’ with the University of Newcastle. Increasing ties between the University and weapons manufacturers is raising serious concerns amongst students, staff and the broader community. Student movements across Australia are revealing ties between weapons manufacturers and research facilities and will continue to protest against these agreements.

4. This project is on PFAS contaminated lands within the Tomago Sandbeds Catchment Area.

The independent review into PFAS contamination must be completed before this DA can be finalised. There is insufficient information for managing PFAS contaminants and protecting the Tomago Sandbeds

It is morally and ethically reprehensible that any levels of government are facilitating and/or profiteering from weapons manufacturing, particularly when doing so is against its own policies, and especially when the companies are involved in and enabling the State of Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank in Occupied Palestine.

I object to this development ‘High Technology Industry Williamtown', and appeal to the planning authority to refuse this application.
This proposal has major issues around transparency, with a lot of coded language being used in an attempt to mask the true operations planned for this site. Unless there are new guarantees to ensure weapons are not being manufactured at the site and environmental protections for an area that has already been ravaged (i.e. PFAS contamination), it is not suitable for this to go ahead.
The Local Government Act states that councils must act ethically in the interests of the local community (Section 8Ah).
Newcastle Council should collect revenue from sources that are in line with its own policies. With Astra Aerolab, it is directly contravening its own Investment and Borrowing Policy which includes Environmental and Social Investment Guidelines (7.1.4) that specifically identify ‘production or supply of armaments’ as investment that should be avoided as it is considered a socially harmful activity.
Collecting revenue from an undisclosed aerospace contractor is not in line with the ethical standards that the community expects from Newcastle Council and Port Stephens Council.

I object further military development in the Hunter port Stephen’s region. The noise pollution is already a blight on Newcastle, not to mention the literal pollution created by such a project.
I also object to my tax going towards more military endeavours when healthcare and education are criminally underfunded. Looking towards our future I want Newcastle to be known for our developments that support people and life. This project does not align with that vision.

I object to this project as it is not in the best interests of the community or environment. The lack of transparency regarding investors is of particular concern. Newcastle Council must ensure that they are not profiting from the manufacture of weapons.
Also of concern is the lack of broad public consultation, and the inadequate inclusion of the Worimi Traditional Owners Indigenous Corporation especially during the Cultural Heritage assessment.

Hunter Community Forum objects to the proposal on the following grounds:
1. the proposal is in direct opposition to the public interest
2. The project directly inhibits the development of sustainable, environment- and climate- friendly industry with associated necessary skills;
3. the project is unaccountable to the public; and may involve activities that are in contravention of Australia's International treaty obligations such as thos pertaining to the Genocide Convention Act 1949. Submission attached

I object to the High Technology Industry Williamtown development and urge the planning authority to refuse the development application on the grounds that it contravenes Newcastle Council policy, is not in the public interest and further encourages connections between universities and weapons manufacturers, which is deeply unethical and dangerous.

I am concerned about the Council’s willingness to profit from weapons manufacturers. It undermines Newcastle Council’s own Investment and Borrowing Policy. This Policy incorporates Environmental and Social Investment Guidelines 7.1.4 that investment in the ‘production or supply of armaments’ is to be avoided as a socially harmful activity. To approve this application is to support a socially harmful activity that calls into question the values of Newcastle Council and their adherence to their own standards.

Investing in such a socially harmful activity is not in the public interest. Weapons manufacturing is directly connected to harming civilians and too often used by wealthy countries to harm and exploit the Global South. The Social Impact Assessment suggests a benefit of the project is that it will create jobs, thereby boosting the economy. I question whether diverting workers to this industry is of overall benefit to our economy in the long term, when we have critical need for skilled workers in renewable energy industries and industries focused on building an equitable society where people can thrive. It is unclear to me how this project is aligned with Australia’s First Wellbeing Framework, as raised in the Social Impact Assessment, that advocates for ‘inclusion, fairness and equity’ that is a healthy, secure, sustainable, cohesive and prosperous society. How does expanding weapons manufacturing achieve any of these ideals? In fact, I see it as contradictory to this framework and not in the public interest to proceed with such a development.

The Environmental Impact Statement for this proposal boasts that it will increase research capabilities with the University of Newcastle. Students, staff and communities around the world, including at the University of Newcastle, have expressed disdain over their university’s ties to weapons manufacturers. Universities are meant to be a place of education and growth where people can learn to critically think and explore the values they want to practise in their lives and work. The fact they have become institutions more concerned with profiting from weapons companies than student and staff wellbeing is shameful, concerning and harmful to our entire society.

I ask that these concerns be considered by the planning authority with the substantial weight they deserve, and that the High Technology Industry Williamtown development ultimately be refused.

I object, in the strongest possible terms, to the application SSD-68721962. Please see attached reasons for my objection.